A skateboard is an athletic apparatus that allows a user to ride over a topographic surface. Conventional skateboards include a deck, a pair of trucks, and a set of four wheels. The deck provides an elongated flat or curved platform on which a user rides. The trucks are conventionally coupled to the bottom surface of either lengthwise side of the deck. Each truck is also coupled to a pair of wheels that extend below the remainder of the skateboard. The trucks translate vertical rotation of the deck into horizontal rotation of the wheels. This translation allows a user to lean or tilt the deck laterally and cause the skateboard to turn in the respective direction during forward movement. The wheels are generally made of urethane and have varying degrees of hardness/durometer depending on the application.
Skateboards have recently been designed to accommodate specific riding sub-disciplines, including longboarding, racing, and freestyle. Each of these sub-disciplines requires that a skateboard have certain performance characteristics so as to maximize a user's performance. For example, longboards generally include long decks and larger and softer wheels to facilitate carving. Likewise, freestyle boards generally include short decks and small hard wheels to enable users to perform various tricks. Racing boards are designed to allow users to ride at higher speeds and often include very rigid long decks and soft wheels.
Unfortunately, modern skateboard designs include many limitations and problems. Many users feel that skateboards can be very unstable especially at increased speeds. Responsiveness is the ability to have the skateboard act in a way intended by the user. It is desirable for a skateboard to intuitively respond to the movements of the user while maintaining stability so as to avoid unintended responses. In addition, many conventional skateboards fail to properly absorb vibrations in a manner that maintains performance. For example, using a flexible material for the deck allows the deck to sag and dramatically affects its responsiveness. Likewise, certain skateboard components are not easily interchangeable, forcing users to purchase multiple complete skateboards for particular performance applications or stylistic design features. Various improved skateboards have attempted to overcome these problems but have failed to integrate the solutions in a single skateboard.
Accordingly, there is a need in the industry for an improved skateboard system that overcomes these limitations in a cost effective and stylistically attractive manner.